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3. Immutability a) Definitions (1) God is
not capable or subject to change …God never becomes greater or lesser, better
or worse ... never develops or improves, evolves or gets older. (Gibson, Study of God, Lancaster Bible College) (2) Immutability is that perfection of God by
which He is devoid of all change, not only in His Being, but also in His
perfections, and in His purposes and promises...and is free from all accession
or diminution and from all growth or decay in His Being or perfections. (Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1941), p. 58.) b) God
does not change in His existence. Once again, we are brought back to Exo
3:14. God’s name, "I AM WHO I AM," not only expresses
self-existence and eternality, but also immutability. Therefore, He does not
change in His existence (Ps 102:26-27). c) God never changes in His character or
attributes. God does not change for better or for worse. He is already
perfect and perfection needs no change or improvement (Mal 3:6; Jm 1:17). d) God does not change in regard to His
truth and truthfulness. He cannot do so because His word is truth (Ps
119:89, 142, 160; Jn 17:17). Therefore, God does not lie or go back on His
word (1Sa 15:29; Nu 23:19). e) God does not change in His
faithfulness in regard to His purposes and promises (Ps 119:90; Lam
3:22-23). (1) Some
challenge God’s immutability when they consider passages such as Gen 6:6
where God “repented” that He made man. (2) First of all, God is sinless and therefore
never sins or makes the wrong choice by which He must repent. The word “repent” (nacham
- lit. “breath
deeply,” sigh) in Gen 6:6, might be better rendered “sorrowful” or “grieved.”
(3) God was fully aware that man was going to
sin, but God emotionally grieves over sin. Immutability does not mean that
God does not interact with changing man. When man repents, God changes His
judgment to mercy. For God is not taken by surprise nor does He work on a
trial and error basis. f) God’s
immutability is meaningful to the believer because: (1) God will
never change His mind concerning His promises (Heb 6:17-19; Mal 3:6). (2) God’s immutability is an anchor for the
soul because God’s word and counsel do not change (Ps 119:89; Ps 33:11 cp.
Christ - Jn 14:2; Heb 13:8). (3) On the other hand, God will not wink at sin
or change His mind concerning His judgment upon those who reject Christ (Jn
3:36). (4) It is therefore man who must change and
repent of his sin, his false beliefs, and his ways to conform to the holy
nature of a changeless God (2Co 7:10). |
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Grace Bible Church · 4000 E. Collins Rd · PO Box #3762 · Gillette, WY · (307) 686-1516 |
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